AAUG Reviews

by Bruce Herman, AAUG Member

The gear4 Icebox pro is a line of cases for iPod Classic models. The case comes in two parts, a clear plastic back roughly 2 mm thick in which the iPod sits and a brushed aluminum cover that snaps over the front of the iPod. The plastic back has hold for the main jack and the headphone jack as well as the hold slider switch. The cover includes a rigid plastic cover for the iPod screen and a flexible plastic cover for the thumb dial. The Icebox Pro ships with two backs: one for the 160 GB iPod and one for the 80 GB iPod.

The plastic back fits very snugly around the iPod and protects it from scratches. However, the fit is so tight that the case would not protect it from the shock of being dropped. Personally, I’m more concerned about the consequences of dropping my iPod than I am about scratching it. The plastic back is just as slippery as the metal back on the iPod, and so it will not stay on a sloping desktop.

When I first looked at the Icebox case, I was concerned that it would be so think that the iPod would not connect when sitting in docking stations on speakers. That proved not to be the case. The iPod connected properly to the two speaker docking stations to which I had access. All of the headphone jacks that I have fit in the headphone jack hole.

The brushed aluminum cover is quite attractive. If you have grown tired of the color of your iPod, the Icebox Pro gives you the opportunity to give it a different look while maintaining the high-tech look of the iPod. (more…)

by J. Robin Donaldson, AAUG Member

First impression was mixed. The Treadz is ruggedly attractive, suited more towards the sporty or masculine set. It is made of a black silicone rubber embellished with a tire tread design to improve the grip-ability of the case. The tread design is too shallow to have much influence in over coming the slick hand feel of the silicone rubber case.

The cut-outs in the rubber are perfectly placed allowing for easy access to all functions. I appreciated the rubber’s flexibility and malleability, which made getting the actual iPhone in and out of the case very easy. The case also comes with a full-face screen protection film. This is a wonderful allowing the phone to be fully protected against scratches. But the anti-shock value of the case is a question mark for me and I wasn’t willing to sacrifice my phone to rate the anti-shock resistance.

I have tested a leather case. It’s very nice and feels as though the anti-shock value of the leather case would be higher. But at just under $30, it should be. Also, my cheek often touches the screen while I am talking an takes over the controls of the phone often hanging up during mid-call.

I have tested a fully enclosed plastic case cover for the iPhone. The pro is the seemingly durability of the case. The HUGE negative, in opinion only, is that I found that what little heat was generated off of the phone created moisture build up in the case. And there was no ventilation that allowed this moisture to escape. (more…)

by J. Robin Donaldson, AAUG Member

This is a great case for a very specific application, ie, working out; when you want to take your iPhone along with you while you exercise. It’s comfortable, adjustable, light weight and your phone is secure.

This case provides security, convenience and protection and is one of the slimmest sport armbands out on the market. It is made with a one-piece design and integral screen cover. It protects your iPhone from scratches and dust. You get access to the touch screen and the ports and limited access to the controls. There aren’t any cut outs for the volume or silence buttons. You are also not able to snap a photo easily. So forget the use of the camera.

The thick clear, full-face screen protector safeguards against scratches and smudges while still allowing the touch screen feature to function. The thick protector also has a downside and that is that the buttons on the edges of the screen; ie, the P, L, Q, A, etc. are extremely difficult to depress. It is a matter of the seam getting in the way. Depressing these keys is achievable. You just have to be mindful to press more firmly.

The Streamline case also has a reflective trim with the idea that it makes you more visible at dusk. Reality is that this is a very small object to begin with and the trim on a small object is even smaller. It isn’t a reason to buy this case. (more…)

by Steve Aufrecht, AAUG Member

Overview: This is a great book, but not an easy one. These cameras are complex and so you have to do some work to get the benefit of all the features. If you just want to point and shoot, you don’t need this book. But if you want to take advantage of all the features on your Powershot, this is a great way to go. It’s a hybrid of reference and how-to book. It has excellent table of contents and index. Pick it up once a week to discover new tricks until you’ve got them all mastered. Then Canon will have new cameras with new features.

I initially got this book to figure out how to use my Canon Powershot SD 550. But soon after my camera disappeared. So I ended up turning to pages 33-57 which goes through all the models of Powershot available when the book was written. Unfortunately, Canon is popping out new models so fast the book is already out of date, and what was available at my Costco wasn’t in the book.

So, with my new SD 790 IS, I just spent an hour experimenting so I could at least do what was doing with the old camera, without looking at the book. But I finally ran across the book while cleaning up and started discovering new tricks. One new trick I inadvertently did, has changed the image I see after I take a picture and I don’t know how to change it back.

OK, so here’s the structure of the book.

Introduction
I. In depth table of contents (6 pages)
2. Introduction - like all these books, it’s made for everyone - “owners new to photography…If you are a long-time PowerShot owner…there are chapters for you.” So each user has to wade through stuff intended for others to get the stuff they need.
3. Quick Tour - nine pages of the basics you need to get started.
Part I

Chapter 1: Exploring your Canon PowerShot
Goes through features common to all models and then looks at all the models available as of publication. (I’m assuming, didn’t check them all.)

Chapter 2: Navigating Your Powershot Camera
Covers all the menus on the camera - (more…)

by Ron Schoedel, AAUG Member

There is no shortage of computer books on the market these days. And Mac books are quite abundant as well. The new Portable Genius series from Wiley caught my eye. It appeared at first glance to be sort of a classier “Dummies” series, perhaps. The books are physically a bit smaller than the well-known “Dummies” books and feature what appears to be a double for an Apple Store Genius pictured on the cover (young 20-something guy or gal in a black t-shirt with a lanyard…in other words, a very good carbon copy of the Apple Genius appearance).

Where the Portable Genius books stand out, and this one in particular, is its ability to get right to the heart of the matter of the most common tasks or issues. I have some OS X manuals that are in excess of 1,500 pages, and don’t even talk about hardware at all. The iMac Portable Genius sets out, in its less than 400 pages, to give us the most important information about using our new iMac computer: hardware, software, peripherals, and more.

What I appreciate is the way the book cuts through the clutter. There are no cutesy jokes or other superluous material to wade through. The table of contents is smartly arranged into several major catagories, such as how to hookup your peripherals, (more…)

by Ron Schoedel, AAUG Member

At this point in the iPod game, most accessories that are being released are refinements on earlier products. As such, the LiquidAUX Deluxe builds upon earlier, similar products, and the result is a solid addition to the iPod accessory market.

Kensington’s LiquidAUX Deluxe combines a charging dock with an auxiliary connector to plug your iPhone or iPod into your car stereo, and allows you to control your iPhone’s iPod functions or an iPod’s basic functions without removing your hands from the steering wheel. Safe iPodding is what it’s all about.

I’ve tried a number of iPod accessories over the years and one concern I’ve found is that the wires are often cheaply made: thin wires with minimal insulation, that easily break. The LiquidAUX’s sole wire, from the plug-in to the radio, is built well, with a rubberized fabric sort of insulation, This means the wire will not get knotted, caught in things, or otherwise fall apart easily.

The way I see it, accessories for use in an automobile should have an extra dose of ruggedness built-in, given that these sorts of things are subjected to more movement, more wear and tear, and more abuse, than items that sit on our desks at home. The LiquidAUX scores again in this category with a plug that actually rests solidly (more…)

by Zach Zaletel, AAUG Member

Is the chrome on your iPhone or iTouch getting a little boring?  Have your butterfingers led to near-iphone-death experiences?  You might need a sleeve.  The Belkin Silicone Sleeve is functional and provides extra grip to keep hold of the iPhone.  It’s available in a couple of interesting color combinations - black/infrared, bright pink/cool grey and grey/grapefruit.  For new iPhone users, however, it hides the side and top buttons making them a bit hard to locate.  Overall, a decent phone cover, but I suspect that it will stretch and not fit the phone with time.

by Zach Zaletel, AAUG Member

The iFrogz Headphones are another entry in the isolating, in-ear headphone category that has exploded in the past few years.  Based on the quick growth of this headphone format, I’d guess it will be the basic headphone of the future, what with the easy customizability of the rubber, in-ear portion to make a perfect fit.  They are much more comfortable than the traditional in-ear headphones, like those that shipped with most every iPod in existence.  Available in a variety of colours to match your wardrobe, there is undoubtedly the right one for you.  

The pair I reviewed, in brown and blue, arrived a few days before I received similar pair of Sennheiser in-ear CX300 headphones, which seemed like the makings of a great comparison.  After a few minutes trying out the little rubber eartips and finding the proper size, I fired up iTunes and gave both sets a listen.  

The Earpollution Plugs surprised me, and sounded quite good with both some indie, jazz, classical and spoken tracks that played.  Switching headphones, I ran the same tunes with the CX300s, which were even more of a surprise.  They did sound a bit clearer than the Plugz, with a bit more oomph and clearer high tones, but I’m hard pressed to say that they’d be worth twice the price - if you were on the street or in a noisier environment, you would have a hard time telling the difference while listening.  If you need a new set of cans for your iPod or iPhone and want to save a few bucks, give the Earpollution Plugz from iFrogz a listen.

by Rob LeFebvre, AAUG Member

This software just keeps geting better and better. And now, it’s even less expensive. The main editing software, Sonicfire Pro 5, comes FREE with any purchase of the sound libraries. Buy a DVD full of amazing, customizable music, and get the main application FREE.

What is it?
Sonicfire Pro 5, by SmartSound, is a soundtracking application, made to help create music for videos and soundtracks. I’ve used it for podcast jingles and themes, and a variety of times when music of a specific length was required. It creates high-quality royalty free music for musicians and non-musicians alike for the fraction of the cost of buying a custom composition or hiring live musicians.

What’s new in this version?
Two versions, Express Track Edition and Scoring Edition. Express Track Edition lets users create custom music tracks using the Smart Sound music libraries (more on that in a bit). It allows for basic customization, length, and some mood mapping. Search for a musical style, track name, intensity level, or ownership (your owned tracks or downloadable tracks). Preview tracks and your customizations before exporting to a variety of formats.

Scoring Edition includes the Express Track application and adds more advanced mood mapping, timing control, spotting, and hit files to allow a high degree of customization. MOod mapping allows the user to control the levels and styles of up to 9 different instrument layers, while timing control lets users precisely define how and when a specific section of music emphasizes a scene in the soundtracked video. Hit files are swells, crashes, whooshes and other sound effects to highlight specific events in the video while spotting tools allow keyframe markers to be defined, to make changes in the soundscape or music file playing behind the video.

My Time with SonicFire Pro
I spent some time with the Scoring Edition, after having used Sonicfire Pro 3 and 4 in the past, and let me tell you, this application just keeps getting better. It’s easier to find musical styles I want, and easier to create the length of time I want in a specific piece. Some of the niggling interface issues (over selection of highlighted timing fields, for example) are missing from this new application, which makes it a joy to use.

My favorite thing to do is to grab a specific track, and then bring up the bin window. This allows me to see all the building blocks of a given musical piece, and begin to build a composition from the ground up. I can select a block that is denoted as a starting block, then drag that up to the main multi-tracking window. In the bin, the other blocks of music that fit well after the one I dragged up are now highlighted. I can pick and choose how the music happens, all the while feeling confident that it will all fit together, as SonicFire Pro takes care of all of that for me.

Multi Layer Sound Files
New to me are multi-layer soundfiles. Back when I began to use Sonicfire Pro, the royalty-free music libraries allowed you to customize the length and composition by moving the music blocks and loops around. Now, there’s even greater control. The multi-layer music files contain the tracking info for all the instruments in the specific piece of music. A rock track may contain tracks to separately include Percussion, Bass, Synth pads, ACoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, etc. By manipulating the inclusion of these instruments into a given section of music, Sonicfire Pro allows for different “moods,” like Dialog, Light, Sparse, Atmospheric, and Full. THis new system allows for one of the coolest features in the software: Spotting.

Basically, this allows you to have greater control over the intensity and business of a piece of music while it is paired with a video. Not only can I drop the volume of a piece of music precisely when I want to (when someone is speaking, for example), but I can decrease the instrumentation or choose a “lighter” version of the current music to go behind the video. It’s like having the ultimate control over the soundtrack, with many new possibilities. I can have a full, intense track of music come in at the beginning, while the action in the video is intense, then dial it back for some dialogue, or switch to just emphasize the percussion or drum track to add some anticipation or suspense. It’s really becoming a full movie and video soundtracking tool.

Online Greatness
One of the most helpful things that Smartsound has done this time around is to create online video tutorials. Go to http://www.smartsound.com/sonicfire/scoring.html and there is a video to explain and teach how to use the various features of the software. I enjoyed spending a few minutes with each new feature in order to see examples of how they could be used in real-life examples. You can also check out all the tutorials here: http://www.smartsound.com/sonicfire/tutorials/index.html

Music To My Ears
The past few disks full of music have been, to my ears, a little on the “royalty-free music” side. They always felt a little less “real” than what I could create (with a lot more time an energy, granted) in a program like GarageBand or Soundtrack. THe new discs full of music this time have become, to my ears, comparable in quality. I was lucky enough to get to review a wide range of music libraries, with titles like, “Indie Film,” “Indie Band,” “Almost Unplugged,” and “Street Scene.” With even this small list, I now feel able to create a wide range of diverse music soundtracks and styles. With this software and a little bit of practice, I’m thinking that anyone can create high quality music for any film or video project, from commercials to home videos, from full length films to jingles and stingers for podcasts and radio broadcast.

Bottom Line
If you need to create music for soundtracks or other audio-visual projects, Sonicfire Pro 5 may be the best bet out there. It has an edge on tools like GarageBand and Soundtrack with its easy-to-use system and interface coupled with a highly-customizeable framework. Musician and non-musician alike will be able to use this to create highly engaging, well-connected pieces of music to put behind a variety of video and audio projects. At $99 per library (multi-layer) and a FREE SonicFire Pro Express Track edition, SmartSound has created an affordable and attractive software package that is extensible and almost limitless in its ability to create custom musical pieces for a wide variety of projects.

by Marci Clifton, AAUG Member

After having used a briefcase for so long, I found the backpack is the only way to go, especially if you have a bad knee like I do. It was really nice to distribute the weight on my back and provided me the opportunity to move a little faster to and from the buses.I never missed a bus while utilizing the pack. There are numerous compartments in the pack, so I had ample room for the accessories that tag along with My Macbook Pro and I did not carry a purse. One compartment had the same dividers one finds in their wallet. The material it was made of was strong and wiped clean with little effort.

I did feel a little insecure, as far as the padding for the MacBook Pro itself went. I was worried about falling and their not being enough protection. To help with this I took bubble wrap and went one way with one sheet and one sheet the other way. There was still room, for it to fit in the lightly padded compartment that was meant for the laptop. A little more padding in the straps for the back, would have provide a little more comfort, also.

In closing I love the idea of carrying my MBP on my back, however I would like to upgrade, for more reinforcement. I’d like Santa to bring me the Kensington Contour Traveler Backpack, Model # 62432. I see where they are priced at $69.99 at kensington.com.